Chapter 14 (1/2)
Chapter 14
FRS: Chapter 14 – Unknown Truth (5)
Translator: Momoe Pom
TLC: Puissansa
Editor: Isabelle
Quality Check: Kai
First Published on Ainus.h.i.+.
With the Martial Artists’ Grand Convention nearing, Song BoLin seized every moment to inform the other sects in the martial world about zhangmen’s pa.s.sing and Fan JiJing’s succession as the new zhangmen.
The fact that Bu LouLian was murdered on Mount Jiuhua was indeed dishonorable. Song BoLin intentionally ordered the messenger disciples to prolong their journey on the road for a few days so that he could take the opportunity to plan Bu LouLian’s funeral and the ceremony for Fan JiJing’s succession on the same day, with the former in the morning and the latter in the afternoon. This way, by the time the disciples from the other sects came to offer their condolences, everything would be settled already and they wouldn’t give themselves away.
On this day, the Jiuhua Sect was extremely busy.
Aside from Hua HuaiXiu, everyone was busily rus.h.i.+ng about, either coming from there or going from here.
With people shouting occasionally in between—
“Song s.h.i.+bo said we need to change the coffin!”
“Fifth s.h.i.+shu said to gather all disciples to wail at the funeral!”
“Where did the zhangmen’s remains go?”
“Where was the candlestick that I just put here?”
“…”
Hua HuaiXiu walked slowly to the entrance of the mourning hall. There were bursts of loud wailing and chanting sounds coming out from inside.
The mourning hall was indeed filled with kneeling people, each burying their heads in their chests. The monks were chanting at the front of the hall.
Guan Xing and the other disciples from the direct line were kneeling in the forefront, all dressed in their mourning apparel. The white hats were worn very low, making it hard for others to see their expressions.
When the disciples of the Jiuhua Sect saw Hua HuaiXiu arrive, their cries were suddenly boosted, instantly submerging the chanting sounds into a sea of wailings.
Hua HuaiXiu bowed before the altar and offered incenses.
Even though he still had a lot of dissatisfaction and disdain towards Bu LouLian, seeing a scene like this, a small amount of pity unavoidably sprouted in his heart. In the funeral after his death, eight or nine out of ten people who came to mourn for him were suspects of his murder, including the disciples he had raised and the apprentices he had educated wholeheartedly… How ironic was this? And how pathetic was this?
Hua HuaiXiu let out a sigh and slowly turned to Guan Xing and the others.
Out of the five of them, only Fan JiJing and ShangGuan DingNing returned with a bow.
Hua HuaiXiu left the mourning hall and returned to his own room. He lit up an incense and started to boil tea, hoping the gesture would pacify the disgust and distaste in his chest that was invoked by that roomful of cunning schemes and hypocrisy.
No one knew how much time had pa.s.sed.
A rat-a-tat came at the door.
Hua HuaiXiu recovered himself. Looking at the tea that had already turned into a pot of mess in his hands, he sighed softly and stood up to open the door.
Fan JiJing was outside, holding a tray in his hands with some vegetarian dishes and rice on top of it.
Hua HuaiXiu turned around and sat back by the table. “Today is your day to celebrate. How do you have the time to come by my place?”
Fan JiJing said with a bitter smile, “You make it sound as if I’m about to get married.”
Hua HuaiXiu replied, &ld
quo;That’s just a matter of sooner or later.” He did not try in the least to gloss over the sourness in his words.
Fan JiJing did not continue on that topic. He came in and put the tray in front of Hua HuaiXiu: “I heard that you didn’t eat anything this morning, so I brought you your favorite dishes.”
“Do you even know what I like?” In spite of what he said, Hua HuaiXiu’s eyes turned to the tray.
Fan JiJing pointed to the vegetarian eight-treasures on it: “I remember fighting you over this dish when I was young.“
The tense face that Hua HuaiXiu had been wearing ever since Fan JiJing had come in finally relaxed a little. He twitched his mouth: “You still remember?”
Fan JiJing said, “My father lectured me for a long time after I went back.”
Hua HuaiXiu could not hide the smile in his eyes. He picked up the chopsticks and said, “Me too.”
As if the invisible river that spanned between them had narrowed, the distance between them was slightly shortened as well.
Seeing there was only one pair of chopsticks, Hua HuaiXiu asked, “Are you not eating?”
Fan JiJing replied, “I’ll eat together with eldest s.h.i.+xiong and the others.”
The water in the invisible river suddenly rose tremendously.
Hua HuaiXiu’s face turned cold again.
“Cousin.” Fan JiJing said gently, “After you finish eating, you should start heading down the mountain. It’ll be difficult once it gets dark.”
Bang!
Hua HuaiXiu slapped the chopsticks onto the table and stared at him coldly. “Are you afraid that I’ll implicate you?”
Fan JiJing seemed to be stunned for a moment before he asked, “Why is that?”
“Letting me stay here would be offending both the Attendant Gentleman of the Ministry of Rites and the Hua Family at the same time. Since you have just succeeded as the zhangmen of the Jiuhua Sect, it’s reasonable that you don’t want to make strong enemies for yourself. I won’t blame you for it.” Even though his mouth was saying “I won’t blame you”, his eyes were glaring at Fan JiJing ferociously.
Fan JiJing sighed, “Cousin, you’re being oversensitive.”
“Then why are you driving me out of Mount Jiuhua over and over again?” This was what confused Hua HuaiXiu the most. If he wanted to succeed as zhangmen and thus was unwilling to be involved with him, then he could totally reject him. If he did have feelings for him, then why would he insist on pus.h.i.+ng him away?